Highly Anticipated Projects From The CS:GO Workshop
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) has always been known for its supportive and hard working community. If that’s players willing to compete for cash prizes, or in-game designers coming up with new skins and maps. Either way, both groups of people have helped CS:GO become the hit game it is today. Seeing the importance of creativity within a game like CS:GO, it’s important to stay updated with the game’s latest projects.
During quarantine, a handful of freelance programmers and GFX artists have been hard at work brainstorming new ideas. One creative director managed to combine Dust 2 and Mirage, while another developed a flamethrower. If you thought the G3SG1 was overpowered, imagine a negev with a fire breathing barrel.
DURAGE IS A HIT
One of the biggest projects that has made its way across Reddit and Twitter is a map called Durage. If the name sounds familiar, it’s because the map is a combination of fan favourite choices Dust 2 and Mirage. The original project was released with a simple sketch on January 1 of this year. It quickly gained traction which meant the designer was in a hurry to release the project. Within a period of two days, a simple drawing was transformed into a partial map model. On that very day, Mirage’s A site was created along with some suggestions from the CS:GO community. After smoothing out the map’s main surfaces, Durage was beginning to look like a professional map.
After another two days of hard work and nonstop grinding, a majority of the map was already laid out. The addition of CT and T spawn towards Dust 2’s A site, and mid was complete within a matter of days. Durage was displayed to the people of Reddit on January 6 and instantly received positive feedback. The post was at the top of r/GlobalOffensive and earned over ten thousand upvotes.
On top of that, Durage received sixty different awards and over two hundred comments. Besides the flood of users making jokes about rushing B site, people were happy with what they saw. Durage was like a breath of fresh air, allowing players to test out a brand new map without too much commitment. Since it was a mix of both Dust 2 and Mirage, players felt comfortable with the project.
Despite this being the first project to come from redd, a lot of people find Durage extremely powerful. The project shows a lot of talent expected from someone with experience designing maps, meaning redd could be a potential prodigy. Not only is Durage a dream map for most, but it’s also a creation that people wouldn’t even think about. That’s the best part about combining transparency within the gaming community. It allows game designers and creative unknowns to come together and create something amazing.
MIRAGE 2077 IS THE FUTURE OF CS:GO
If Durage wasn’t enough, next up is the futuristic modelling of Mirage 2077. The mastermind behind the project is known as Luke aka lmtlss on Steam. Luke has somehow managed to give Mirage a massive makeover that people wanted to see. The map tones alone speak for Luke’s work as a designer and talent in CS:GO.
While the actual map hasn’t changed based on its layouts, the combination of neon signs and downtown high-rise buildings is magnificent. Mirage 2077 received lots of praise on both Reddit and Steam, meaning Luke could have a future in designing maps. Luke is currently working on both Overpass and Dust 2077 due to the community's appreciation for Mirage 2077.
Click to enlargeEXPECT THE UNEXPECTED
One of the most unexpected weapons designed for CS:GO has been born. Two content creators by the names of AREZ and Karma Jockey have created a nightmare loadout. After taking inspiration from both a flamethrower and the Negev, a fiery mod was completed. Officially titled as the Flame-Gev, it’s safe to say that a flamethrower won’t make an appearance anytime soon. While the idea is really cool, the overall design is not suitable for CS:GO’s competitive fan base.
Realistic or not, the Flame-Gev brought in fifty thousand views on YouTube along with nearly sixty awards on Reddit. Karma is known for making some of the craziest mods out there, which is why combing a flamethrower with a negev is ideal. The weapon causes an insane amount of damage and can kill a bundle of enemies with ease. With the flick of one's wrist and a light tap on the mouse, the Flame-Gev can take down an enemy in seconds.
After looking through Durage and Mirage 2077, it’s clear that designing maps is far from a lost art. It also looks like players should keep expecting outrageous weapon mods based on Karma’s previous creations. CS:GO is still king of the hill when it comes to community creations, and it looks like people are fine with that.
Images via Steam Workshop